Inspiration Tuesday: Our Oldest

This weekend my oldest received a phone call from Addison, a little girl, whom she began mentoring when she was in kindergarten. This little girl is now in 7th grade and she wanted to interview Alex for a school project on an inspirational person in her life. I smiled as I overheard the beginning of this conversation because Alex is the perfect choice. She has a way of inspiring everyone around her with her dedication, perseverance and her constant gratitude. These last 6 months have been no exception as we have watched her apply to graduate school, graduate from the University of Colorado, work at a pediatric endocrinology office in Denver full-time, and interview at various schools across the country.

Just this month, Alex has had two interviews for Physician Assistant graduate programs, which brings her total to five schools. She has flown across the country, caught up with old friends, family and met many new people along the way. There have been long days of interview questions, essays, exams and lots of anxiety, but she has walked into each school with confidence knowing she deserves to be there. There have been letters of rejection, letters of acceptance, a realization that this next step will involve a cross-country move and a reconciliation that Colorado will always be home, but it’s time for a change. There have been tears of disappointment for all of us and while those days have been hard, Alex has managed to find gratitude in each of these experiences as well.

Thankfully, Alex has choices. She gets to choose which school is best for her and while she hasn’t made her final decision, things are beginning to fall into place. She is older and wiser this go round. She wants more than just a great school. She wants a life and so as she makes her mental list of pros and cons she is thinking about where she will live, her social life (even though she won’t have much of one), her environment, the people, east coast, the south or the midwest. There are so many great things about all of them.

Watching her make this decision is awe-inspiring and bittersweet. We are so proud of her accomplishments and how hard she has worked to get here. She deserves it all and more. Alex always makes us proud, but watching her navigate this process has given us a new appreciation for her strength. And now we brace ourselves for this next step.

Alex, you continually inspire us with your confidence, faith, perseverance, dedication, loyalty, gratitude, empathy and love for everyone around you. You are going to make an amazing PA and whichever school you choose is lucky to have you.